The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise has been an integral part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2013 after the Deccan Chargers’ termination. However, over the last 2 seasons, SRH’s performance has declined steeply.
The team’s frequent bottom finishes have raised questions on whether the Sunrisers franchise will soon face termination like Deccan did earlier. So will SRH actually be terminated or removed from the IPL 2024 tournament? Let’s analyze.
Why Rumors Have Emerged About SRH’s Potential IPL Exit
Here are some aspects that have led to social media chatter about Sunrisers’ future in the IPL:
String of Poor Seasons
After qualifying for playoffs regularly between 2016-2019 under Warner, SRH have finished bottom of the table in 2021 and 2022 seasons. Fans are losing patience.
Off-Field Controversies
The abrupt mid-season captaincy change from Warner to Williamson in 2021 caused controversy. Coach Moody and Bayliss have also been recently changed frequently, pointing towards off-field issues.
Key Player Exodus
In the last 2 auctions, SRH have failed to retain their top players like Rashid Khan, Warner and Holder due to purse constraints. The depleted squad strength has led to poor results.
Ownership Instability
SRH’s long-time owners Sun TV Network are reportedly looking to sell their majority stake. This has created uncertainty around franchise ownership and management.
Considering these issues, there has been rising speculation whether BCCI/IPL authorities have run out of patience and could look to terminate the SRH contract.
Factors That Make SRH’s Termination Highly Unlikely
However, despite the poor on-field returns and instability, there are some strong reasons why Sunrisers Hyderabad’s termination or removal from IPL 2024 is next to impossible:
Solid Fan Base in South India
Though results have suffered, SRH has amongst the most loyal and passionate fan bases in South India. The stands are always packed with Orange Army supporters, which is important for the league.
Strategic Market
The geographic market that SRH caters to – Telangana/AP/South Zone – is a critical market for BCCI. IPL needs an established brand catering to this populous region from a strategic perspective. Difficult to alienate this market by terminating SRH.
Ownership Interest Exists
Despite the exit of Sun Group as majority owners, BCCI has assured that new committed minority investors exist for SRH. So the franchise ownership is active.
Contractual Arrangements
As per industry data, the Deccan Chargers contract was terminated for breach of contractual commitments. But no such issue exists currently with SRH owners. So legally it may be messy for BCCI to terminate SRH.
How Can SRH Course Correct Before IPL 2024?
Considering SRH’s Hyderabad franchise will definitely continue in 2024 IPL, here are some corrective steps the team management should urgently undertake:
Clear Communication on Ownership Changes
If the Sun Group confirms their stake sale, then clarity is needed on who the new majority owners are. This will give the team strategic direction.
Retain Core Indian Players
At the 2024 auction, SRH should look to retain their capped Indian talents like Umran Malik and Washington Sundar through Right to Match. Then rebuild the overseas contingent around this core.
Hire Consistent Head Coach
With Moody and Bayliss both exiting recently, SRH need an experienced IPL head coach who can mentor the younger Indian players and hone their skills.
Invest in Spin Department
In IPL, quality spinners can contain opposition batsmen. Hence SRH should rebuild their spin attack by acquiring the services of proven Indian talents like R Ashwin.
Back and Develop Youngsters
Despite non-results, SRH have unearthed exciting prospects recently like Malik, Samad, Abhishek and Tripathi. They represent the future and SRH must invest game time in their development.
So in summary, while SRH’s on-field results have undoubtedly been below par recently, terminating their IPL contract seems an extreme outcome. The Hyderabad franchise continues to hold tremendous value, and will look to reboot their team strategy for IPL 2024.
I hope you enjoyed this thorough analysis on SRH’s future. As an IPL events blogger, please let me know if you need any additional data or insights covered regarding this topic!